Sarvin Sadeghian is an Iranian illustrator and visual artist based in Toronto, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Design in Illustration at OCAD University. Her practice explores emotion, identity, and her Persian heritage. She works across both digital and traditional mediums, often experimenting with new styles and approaches. Sarvin is particularly interested in editorial illustration, graphic design, and typography. Through her work, she aims to create visual stories that resonate emotionally and culturally, while continuing to learn from and connect with diverse communities.
Devotion
Oil painting on canvas, 18 x 12 in, 2024
This miniature painting was created a few months before I moved to Canada. It is inspired by traditional Iranian miniature painting, a delicate and detailed style with deep cultural roots, and especially by the expressive work of Mahmood Farshchian. When I painted this, I didn’t fully understand how much my life was about to change. I was in a moment of uncertainty, between what I knew and what was yet to come. Creating this work became a quiet way of holding onto something familiar, something that felt like home.
Now, almost two years after immigrating to Canada, I can see how much I have changed. There have been many transitions, challenges, and moments of growth that have shaped who I am today. Every time I look at this painting, it brings me back to that moment before leaving Iran. It reminds me of where I come from, the warmth of its people, the richness of its culture, and a part of myself that continues to stay with me, even as everything else evolves.
Elsewhere
Digital illustration, 18 x 12 in, 2026
I created Elsewhere two years after moving to Canada. During that time, I went through many changes, yet I still felt deeply connected to my Persian identity. Even as I adapt and grow, there is always a part of me that resists being lost. It holds on to language, movement, and visual traditions, trying to preserve and represent what has shaped me.
This work is not only about who I was or who I am; it reflects the continuous negotiation between the two, and the person I am becoming. The piece expresses a feeling of being in between, between where I was and where I am now. Even in a new place, part of me is always trying to hold on, to preserve my culture and represent it in my own way. This can be seen through the figure, inspired by Persian dance and clothing, as well as through the patterns and details that reference my cultural background.